Born in Malaysia, Leon Lim grew up in three different cities in Malaysia; from Kedah to Selangor to Penang. Penang is a great influence in Lim's early life and work. Lim doesn’t have ability to hear any kind of sound or music since birth. Lim’s deafness has developed his ability to have a strong visual sense. His eyes are more sensitive to other things, compare to people who can hear. As an alienated kid grew up in a non-artistic family, Lim discovered colorful prints covering music cassettes which brought Leon to the art world at the age of five.

Leon made decision on his own at 18 to go to the United States for higher education and equal opportunities as an artist and a Deaf person because Malaysia didn't provide service or opportunity for an artist or a Deaf resident.

Leon Lim is a New York based artist whose work focuses on everyday-object / multimedia installations and fine art photography. Most of this is presented in the context of fine art. His compositions are often overly explore themes of the expressions of heritage preservation and social segregation, the communication barriers, the intertwining of all realms of life and death, and the politics of identity and culture.

Leon currently was selected to be one of the 14 artists for Bravo's the second season of Work of Art which aired in the late 2011. Leon's artwork of Julian Assange was selected for TIME's Person of the Year in 2010. His work and story are featured in magazines such as Esquires, Prestige, Tatler, and national newspapers. His artistic installations has been exhibited in several museums, galleries and venues; CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, The World Financial Center in New York City, and The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He was commissioned by Rochester Institute of Technology to create a permanent architectural installation, The 3(656) which displays at Student Development Center. Leon is one of the 14 New York-based artists featured on the Mayor of New York City’s 2009 calendar.

Lim’s recent artwork makes one of few new waves of South East Asia / Malaysia contemporary art that will inspire young generations in the developing countries of South East Asia.